PARIS, Aug 8: The Secretary-General of the Kuwait Handball Association, Qaed Al-Adwani, recently unveiled the new league format for all age groups for the 2024-2025 season. This announcement, made during the draw for the 2023-2024 Handball Cup (knockout) which was postponed to the new season, was well received by the majority of club representatives present. The announcement also followed a coordination meeting between the Association’s Competitions Committee and the clubs.

Al-Adwani outlined the schedule for the upcoming season, which will kick off with the 56th edition of the Cup Championship from September 29 to October 7, followed by the "merger" league championship running from October 9 to March 31. Matches involving the Kuwait Club and Kazma teams will be postponed due to their participation in the Asian Clubs Championship in Qatar in November, with the rescheduled matches set for March 2 to 17.

The league will pause after the sixth round of the merger in December to allow the national team to prepare for the 2025 World Cup. During this break, an "activation" tournament will be held, concluding on January 13.

In February, the "Super" Cup will take place in conjunction with Kuwait’s national holidays. On April 2, 2025, the two Premier League tournaments will begin, with the top six teams from the merger competing in three divisions until April 29. The remaining eight teams will compete in the First Division League Championship from April 3 to 31, 2025. Following this, the Federation Cup Championship for the 2024-2025 season will be held from June 3 to 14 in a knockout format.

The age group competitions, covering will begin on September 26. Each category will feature a league, a cup, and festivals held three times a month on weekends.

The age group league will adopt a new format, dividing teams into two groups for a single round of matches. The top four teams from each group will qualify for the Golden League (home and away), where they will compete in a league format. The top four teams from this stage will advance to the Super League to vie for the title, while the remaining teams will compete in the Silver League.

For the minor league, matches will be played in three rounds. The first round will feature a man-to-man system (3/3), the second round will use an advanced system (1/5), and the third round will be mixed according to the club's preference. Matches will not end in a draw; if tied, penalty kicks will determine the winner, helping young players develop their penalty-taking skills.

Qaed Al-Adwani emphasized that the Competitions Committee, in collaboration with the Federation's Board of Directors, has thoroughly studied the new competition format, especially for the age groups. The goal is to develop and advance the game in a modern, scientifically informed manner.

Al-Adwani stated, "Through the new local tournament format, we aim to increase the number of matches, particularly for age groups, to enhance their level of play, gain experience, and adapt to match pressure. This will ultimately raise the players' abilities and performance, ensuring they are fully prepared when they reach the national teams."

He also noted that most clubs have responded positively to the new league format, and the success of these competitions, as well as the sport in general, is a shared success between the Federation and the clubs, benefiting the national teams shortly.

Meanwhile, the national junior handball team is set to depart today for an external training camp in Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia, in preparation for upcoming international events. The camp will continue until September 2.

The delegation is led by the Handball Federation's Treasurer, Khaled Talib, and includes Board Member Talal Al-Otaibi, head coach Stefan Kovacs, assistant coach Mishaal Al-Adwani, and team administrator Shaker Arti.

Khaled Al-Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff